Jorge Cabrera, a drug smuggler and supporter of President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign, was asked in November 1995 for a campaign contribution in a Havana hotel by a prominent Democratic fund-raiser. On his return to the United States several days after that meeting, Cabrera wrote a check for $20,000 to the Democratic National Committee from an account that included the proceeds from smuggling cocaine from Colombia to the United States. Already a two time convicted felon, this earned him a visit to the White House.
In early January 1996, three weeks after having attended the Christmas reception at the White House, Cabrera was arrested and charged with importing 6,000 pounds of cocaine into the United States on boats through the Florida Keys. He pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison and fined $1.5 million.
